This disclosure is directed to a vehicle seat. More particularly, this disclosure is directed to a seat back for a vehicle seat.
With reference to FIG. 1, a typical vehicle seat 10 includes a seat back 12 and seat base 14. The vehicle seat 10 can also include a head rest 16 that is connected to the seat back 12 with stays 18. The vehicle seat back 12 can pivot towards the seat base 14 in a typical manner. As is conventional, the seat back 12, the seat base 14 and the head rest 16 can be covered with cushioning material (not visible) and an upholstered cover.
FIGS. 2 and 3 depict components found in the interior of the known seat back 12. The known seat back 12 includes a seat back frame 20 and a plurality of back support members 22 each connected with the seat back frame 20 and configured to support the back of a vehicle occupant when the vehicle occupant is seated on the vehicle seat 10 (FIG. 1). The seat back frame 20 includes a left side frame member 24 and a right side frame member 26. An upper frame member 28 interconnects respective upper ends of the left side frame member 24 and the right side frame member 26. A lower frame member 32 interconnects lower ends of the left side frame member 24 and the right side frame member 26. In the known embodiment depicted in FIG. 2, the back support members 22 are steel spring-like members that span from the left side frame member 24 to the right side frame member 26 and are bent in a serpentine manner. The back support members are configured to flex slightly when a vehicle occupant rests his or her back against the seat back 12 (FIG. 1).
It is known to incorporate a linkage system into a vehicle seat back so that during a crash event the head rest 16 (FIG. 1) can move forward. This movement of the head rest 16 is to reduce the likelihood of a neck injury. These known linkage systems typically include an actuator positioned generally in the middle of the vehicle seat back 12. This actuator is connected through a linkage to the head rest 16 so that when an occupant's back pushes against the actuator, the head rest 16 moves forward to restrain the occupant's neck. These current known systems include four bar linkages and cable systems, which are very complicated.
Another commercially available vehicle seat includes a weak seat that collapses during impact. This seat has been shown to reduce neck injuries by the seat back absorbing crash loads, however, the seat collapses and the byproduct seems to be a reduction in neck injuries.